AUTHORITARIANS DISRUPT OUR CIVIL RIGHTS

Editor:

Well the election is over, and the chasm between those who value and
express their freedom in iconoclastic and non-conformist ways and
those who express their security by adopting authoritarian (blind
unquestioned submission to any authority) views and values has, at
least politically anyway, come to a head and severely divided in this
country, and alas, here in Nevada as well.

Authoritarians try to stifle the rest of us by disrupting our civil
rights because they have been persuaded to be fearful and they falsely
believe that a majority is a reflection and expression of a mandated
authority. This is patently not true. A majority opinion, in a
democracy, only shows the degrees of dialogue and compromise that will
be necessary to allow for the minority's opinion. This does not confer
any right authoritarily. Other than those authorities that are
constitutionally provided for, the majority is held in check and
valence by the minority's civil rights. Authoritarians believe that
they can enact and legislate their authoritarian morality on the rest
of us who are willing to give up some of our security (safe freedom)
for greater expressions of freedom and independence.

All we ask for are simple human rights (equality). We want to be left
alone in our bodies and our homes. (Marijuana prohibition is a good
example of the authoritarian violation of our civil right to privacy).
We freely choose to live a 24-hour lifestyle. We live here because we
love the freedom. As they say, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Civil Rights benefit us all. They represent the shared respect we have
for each other, and are the ideas that we hold dear here in Nevada.
Things like freedom and equality. Authoritarians have nothing to fear
from this, our freedom. If we are vigilant we have nothing to fear.

This is Nevada. We party, we drink, we smoke pot, we carouse 24/7, we
go to strip clubs and whorehouses, and we as adults love this free
lifestyle. For those of you who bemoan the effect we have on children,
you know how we live here in Nevada. You don't have to raise your kids
here if you don't like our lifestyle. We don't feel we should submit
if the only reason for doing so is compulsion or convention. We should
believe but question any authority. This gives us the capacity and the
capability to police ourselves fairly.

Al Engleman

Fallon